Sign composing apparatus



Aug. 29, 1939. Q. BURAS 2,170,935

SIGN GOMPOSING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 26, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 I I I I Iiijiiltiliitiiif I III I I I 2 I 73 $17 Inventor 45 lg fizz/317$ BardsAttorneys Au za, v193,9. BUR S .2,1 7o,9ssf

SIGN COMPOSING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 26, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 6 AttorneysAug.29, 1939. Q. BuRAs 2, 7 5

SIGN COMPOSING APPARATUS 7 Filed Aug. 26, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Aiiorneys Patented Aug. 29, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,170,985SIGN oo-MPosmo APPARATUS V Quinton Bums, Birmingham, Ala. ApplicationAugust 26, 1938, Serial No. 227,013

3 Glairns.

My invention relates generally to means for mechanically composinglettered signs, and particularly to an arrangement of this characterwhich operates automatically to set up the desired lettering or signupon the successive operation of selective letter releasing means, andan important object of my invention is to provide a simple and efficientarrangement of this character which greatly facilitates the setting upof lettered signs and saves considerable time and expense of producingthe same.

Other important objects and advantages of my invention will be apparentfrom a reading of the .following description taken in connection withthe drawings, wherein for purposes of illustration I haveshown apreferred embodiment of my invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a general front elevational view of apparatus in accordancewith the present invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail of the slug releasing mechanism.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary tional view of the slug receivingand disposing mechanism which operates automatically upon the depositingof a slug therein.

Figure 4 is a front .elevational view of a sign support. Figure 5 isa'front elevational view of another 'form of sign support.

Figure 6 is a perspective of sign support.

view of another type Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 75 generally designates a magazine holding vertical rows 6 of slugs I,each row containing a number of slugs of the same letter and the rowsbeing arranged in side by side relation. Below the magazine 5 is theguide casing 6' which mounts the keyboard 8 which is composed ofvertically spaced horizontal'rows of keys 9 which have the letter I!)thereon corresponding to the particular row of slugs in the magazine 5which are to be selectively released to fall into the chute I l which 7has a tapered lower end portion l2 which terminates in a chute l3.

Referring now to Figure 2 of the drawings, each individual row 6 isduplex in character, involving as it does front 'and back slotted guidesl4 and [5, respectively, and an extra slotted guide l6 opposed to themiddle guide to hold extra slugs. The slugs 1 are disposed between theguides! and I5 while spare slugs 'l' are'disposed between theguides l5and 16. The guides are flat tubes conforming in width to the slugs 1 andI, and defined'by front and back plates 11 and I8, respectively, whichare spaced by the respective guides l4, l5 and 16. The guide I has aprojection l9 above its lower end which is in the nature of a bracketand this has a reduced elevashank 28 on which is circumposed anexpanding spring 2! which operates between the projection 19 and theupper part of the tiltable arm which is generally designated 22 andthrough which the shank projects at its upper end. Another 5 projection23below the projection l9 has a shank 24 on which is circumposed aspring 25 which operates between the projection 23 and a washer 26 whichis slidable on the shank 24 and works against the inner side of theswingable arm 22, a nut 21 being fitted on the outer end of the shank 24to engage against the outer side of the arm 22. Another projection 28 onthe guide 14 and below the projection 23 has a standard 29 thereon whichis provided with an adjustable bolt 30 which has a. stop head 3| thereonfor engagement by the arm 22, and the projection 28 is traversed by apivot 32 which traverses the side members of the arm 22 which straddlethe projection 28, thereby the arm 22 is fulcrumed on the pivot 32 andsupported by the projection 28. The side member 33 of the arm 22projects downwardly and in between the arms of a bifurcation 34 in whichposition it is pivoted by means of a pivot device 35, and depends belowthe slidable stop 36 where a cable 3'! is attached to the lower end ofthe side member'33 and is trained over a pulley '38 and connected to theintermediate portion of the downwardly swingable key 9 which is pivotedas indicated by the numeral 39 on the keyboard 8 in some suitablemanner, so that whenever the key 9 is depressed the lower end of the arm22 will be swung toward the left in Figure 2 and slidably withdraw thestop 36 from under the lowermostone of the slugs 1, the stop 36 beingmounted in an opening 40 formed in the guide l4, the arm 22 beingrestored to original position after release of the key 9 by the springs2| and 25. A hand operated stop 4| is slidably mounted in an opening 42in the guide I6 and is normally held in closed position by a spring 43so as to releasably hold the spare slugs 1.

When the selected slugs l are released by operating the keys 9 the slugsfall into the chute H and slide and fall to the receiver l3 shown inFigure 3 of the drawings. In conjunction with .and at one side of thisreceiver I3 is placed a frame which is generically designated '45 andwhich'may comprise that form shown in Figure 3 or any of those shown inFigures 4, 5 and v6 essentially comprising upper and lowerlongitudinally slotted members 46 and 41, the form constituting, whenfilled up as desired with the proper slugs l, a part of the sign to beconstructed or composed. The'lower member 41 is aligned with the lowerhorizontal. member 49 which is spaced below the lower end of thereceiver 13 and is provided with ball-bearings 5U facilitating movementof the slugs l as dropped from the v receiver 13, to a position betweenthe members mounted on a bracket which is an extension of the horizontalmember 49. The energization' of the magnets 54 attracts the head 56 of aT- shaped armature 51 which is supported by means generally designated58 in connection with the magnets and the result of this is that thelower end of the standard portion of the armature engages the oifsetpart of an arm 59 which is'pivoted as indicated by the numeral 60011 ahorizontal portion 6| of the bracket 55, so as to swing the dependingcam portion 62 in a right hand direction: The arm 62 is slidably engagedwith a pin 63 on the left hand end of the slide 64 which is mounted inprojections 65, 66 on the member 49 so as to press the slide 134 in aright hand direction. The inner side of the slide 64 has a block 6'1thereon which directly engagesthe adjacent end of the slug 1 as the slugfalls upon the member 49 and the member 5| and pushes the slug to theright as shown in Figure 3, to the position occupied by the slug E inFigure 3 of the drawings. The immediately following slug coming into theposition formerly occupied by the slug E is then operated upon by thehead 61, so

that in the end the desired number of selected slugs are positioned inthe frame or holder 45 and the sign thereby composed. A spring 68stretched between the head 51 and the projection retracts the slide 64and repositions the arm 62 and the armature 51 when the circuit isbroken by release of the tiltable member 5|. A stop pin 69 is arrangedonthe slide 64 to engagethe projection 65 to limit outward retraction ofthe slide 64. a V

Referring now to Figure 4 of the drawings, there is therein shown aframe 5511 which comprises a stand 16 suitable-for resting on a'counteror in a display case or other place on which is disposed the frame d5awhichis in the form of a frame composed of upper and lower members 46aand'fiia constructed as the members 36 and .41 in Figure 3 of the.drawings joined at one end by the connector 1i and at the opposite endby thev removable connector 12 which is removably held in place by a peg13 engaging an opening in one end of themember 12 and a removable peg 14in the member 36a for engaging an opening in the upper end of the member12, whereby to retain the selected slugs. 1 in the frame thus defined.

Referring now' to Figure 5 there is therein shown a frame 451) which issimilar in all respect to the frame 55a except that two rows of slugsare provided for by the interpositioning of the divider 15.

Referring now to Figure 6, wherein is shown an endless belt type offrame support, thiscomprises upper and. lower rollers 16 and 11 overwhich are trained endless belts 78 and 19 and a sprocket chain 30 oversprocket formations at the adjacent ends of the rollers, one of therollers being provided with an operating crank 8|. Any suitablesupporting means for the rollers (not shown) is provided so that thedevice will be in the nature of a bulletin board, upper slotted rails46c, lower slotted rails #10 and intermediate rails being provided onthe belts for quick alignment with the receiver mechanism, so that signsmay be made up quickly on the wrong side 0f the exhibitor 45c and thecrank 8| turned not only in placing the pairs of rails for reception ofthe slugs 1 but also for exhibiting the resultant signs as in ashow-window or other place where the same is to be viewed. 7

Although I have shown and described herein preferred embodinients'of myinvention, it is to be definitely understood that I do not desire tolimit the application of the invention thereto, and

any change or changes may be made in the structure and arrangement ofthe parts, within the spirit of the invention and the scope of thesubioined claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

. 1 1. A sign'composing device comprising a maga- Izine involvingguides, tiers of lettered slugs slidably supported by the guides,movable stop means engaging thelowermost slug, key 'means operativelyconnected to said stop means for releasing the lowermost slug,a chutereceiving relation to the released slug, tion to the chute, saidreceiver comprising a frame consisting of spaced rails, said framebeing' supported at one sideiof thelower'end of said re:- ceiver,reciprocable means on said receiver for engaging' and moving .ays'lugdropped throughsaid receiver" to' a position {between said rails; and

means to yieldably hold the slug just movedfrom leaving the positionuntil pushed by similar moving of a succeeding slug.

2. A sign composing device comp-rising'a magazine involving guides,tiers of lettered slugs slidably supported by the guides, movable, stopmeans engaging the lowermost/slug", key means operatively connected tosaid stop: means. for releasing the lowermost slug, a chute in receivingrelation to the released slug, a receiver in receiving relation to thechute; said receiver comprising ,a frame consisting of spa'cedrailsgsaidframe being supported at one, side of the lower end of said receiver,reciprocabiermeans' on saidfreceiver'ffm engaging and moving aslug'dropped through said receiver to a position between said rails,said ireciprooable means comprising a slide having a head engageablewith the dropped slug,' 'nor'mally open switch means whichthe slugoperates as the slug falls to: position to enter said frame, electricalmeans conditioned for operation by the closing of said switch means,said electrical means being operatively connected to said slide; wherebythe slug is pushed into position between said railsas saidelectricalmeans is operated.

3. In a sign composinggdevice; a receiver :for receiving slugs, a'frame,consistingof spaced rails, saidframe being'suppo-rted at one side ofthe lower end of said receiver,'recipro cable means on said receiver forengaging and m'oving a slug droppedthroug-h saidreceiver to a positionbetween said rails, said frame comprisingth i men;- tioned spaced-rai1s,'a stationary connector be:

a receiver in receiving rela-

